Types of Tooth Injuries
Dental trauma can take many forms. When you are suffering from a tooth injury, you will likely be experience pain and discomfort. Whether you can see a crack, a cavity, or nothing at all, it doesn’t mean there is not an underlying (often invisible) issue that is causing the pain and discomfort. At Precision Endodontics, we have special tools and technology available to identify tooth injuries including a 3D Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) which can help give us a 3D image of the inside of your entire mouth, down to the root structure of your teeth. With this technology, we are able to provide more precise and minimally invasive treatments to our patients. Many patients are surprised to hear us say that your root canal will be pain-free! If you or a loved one is experiencing any of the following tooth injuries, please contact us today to arrange a consultation and let us help relieve your pain, and put a smile on your face.
Cracked or Fractured Teeth
All of the stress in today’s world has many of us clenching and grinding our teeth. In fact, this is one of the most common types of tooth injuries we see at our office. The unfortunate aspect of clenching your teeth is that it causes your teeth – especially your back molars – to fracture. Fractures in teeth are really the worst issue we currently deal with. Tiny cracks cause the nerves to become sensitive and make your teeth flex. Then, as those cracks widen, they allow bacteria to get into your tooth, which can cause a tooth to become infected. It’s always best to catch a crack as soon as possible before the issue progresses and infection sets in. If you think you have a cracked or fractured tooth, contact us as soon as possible for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
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When we see patients with tooth injuries, we first examine the tooth under a microscope to determine the extent and exact location of the crack. If the crack is a minor one, and is superficial, we can perform all of our preparatory treatments immediately. After that, your dentist will put a crown on the tooth and you can expect it to have a long life. If we find that the crack is extensive and jeopardizes a successful prognosis, we might meet with you and your dentist to discuss the possibility of extracting the tooth and devising a replacement option. Again, the sooner we can identify tooth injuries, the better chance we have of saving your original tooth, which is our overall goal.
Injured Dental Pulp (Pulp Disease)
Dental pulp, which contains the nerves and the blood supply inside your tooth, can be injured in many ways. One way is trauma to a tooth. Whether the impact came from a baseball or softball, or you’ve been in a car accident, or a baby slammed their head into you – we’ve all been hit in the face. It can also be caused by a cavity that allows bacteria to enter your tooth. If the dental pulp starts to become inflamed, you’ll start noticing symptoms such as cold or heat sensitivity, throbbing, or sensitivity to sweets. Depending on the severity of the tooth injuries, the dental pulp damage can be reversible if caught soon enough.
Avulsed Teeth (Knocked Out Teeth)
Avulsed teeth are teeth that have been knocked out in a dental injury. These types of tooth injuries often occur in contact sports such as hockey, football, baseball, boxing, etc. These are considered traumatic dental injuries and requires immediate attention to try to save the tooth. It’s very important that the tooth is replaced in its socket as quickly as possible. If the tooth is dirty, we recommend rinsing it off and placing it gently back into the socket. If you’re uncomfortable placing the tooth back in your socket, put the tooth in a glass of milk or in a Hank’s solution and contact us as soon as possible to save your tooth. Ideally, your tooth should be back in the socket within an hour of being dislodged. This gives us the best chance to save the tooth. Again, with most tooth injuries, time is of the essence so the sooner you contact us, the better chance we have to save your original tooth.
Abscessed Teeth
Abscessed teeth are teeth that experience swelling brought on by a bacterial infection in your mouth. If you are experiencing these types of tooth injuries, you will likely have severe persistent pain that may radiate to through the jaw, neck or ear. You will also likely be very sensitive to hot or cold temperatures as well as biting or chewing. You may even experience swelling, difficulty breathing or have a fever. It is very important to contact an experienced endodontist if you think you have an abscessed tooth because we want to address the issue before the abcess ruptures.
If you are looking for ways to prevent these types of tooth injuries, we recommend practicing good oral hygeine and brushing and flossing at least twice daily. We also recommend a diet low in sugar and avoiding sugary foods and drinks that can cause dental cavities that may progress into an abscess.
Still Have Questions About Tooth Injuries?
If you are experiencing any of these tooth injuries, it’s important to contact an experienced Buffalo endodontist as soon as possible for the best chance to save your tooth. At Precision Endodontics, we have two convenient locations in West Seneca and Williamsville and serve patients throughout Western New York. We even have a dental therapy dog to help those with dental anxiety.
We have a “make no compromises” philosophy which places our practice in the top-tier of premier endodontic practices in the US. Contact us today and let us help save your tooth.
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